Pricing
Investment that matches how you want to work.
No fixed menu — every engagement is scoped to what you actually need, then quoted. Three models to choose from, depending on whether you need ongoing partnership, a defined deliverable, or a single expert session.
Retainer
Dedicated strategic and execution support on a monthly basis — a fractional CMO or a reliable marketing partner without full-time overhead. Scope is agreed up front and reviewed monthly.
- One to three days a week of senior time, structured around your priorities
- Strategy, execution, or both — combined across any of the six services
- Monthly reporting against agreed outcomes, not just activity
- Billed monthly; scope can flex as priorities shift
Fractional engagements typically run 20–40% of the cost of an equivalent full-time senior hire.
Best for: businesses that want consistent, compounding marketing leadership month over month
Project
Campaign launches, system builds, SEO overhauls, or AI automation projects. Clear deliverables, a defined timeline, and measurable outcomes agreed before work starts.
- Fixed scope of work with named deliverables
- Timeline agreed up front, typically 2–8 weeks depending on scope
- One clear point of accountability for the outcome
- Priced per project, not per hour
Best for: a specific initiative with a clear objective and a start/end date
Consultation
A focused 1:1 session to audit your current approach, tackle a specific challenge, or build a prioritised action plan you can take away and implement yourself.
- A single scoped session, typically 60–90 minutes
- A written summary and prioritised next-step plan afterward
- No ongoing commitment — a standalone engagement
- Often the starting point before a Project or Retainer
Best for: getting expert input before committing to a full engagement
Compare Models
The same three models, side by side.
| Compare | Most commonRetainerMonthlyOngoing partnership | ProjectFixed scopeDefined start and end | ConsultationOne-offSingle session |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shape of the engagement | |||
| Commitment | Rolling monthly | Length of scope | None |
| Dedicated ongoing capacity | Included | Not included | Not included |
| Fixed, named deliverables | Not included | Included | Included |
| Written summary and action plan | Included | Included | Included |
| What it covers | |||
| Strategy and roadmap | Included | Included | Included |
| Hands-on implementation | Included | Included | Not included |
| Campaign management | Included | If in scope | Not included |
| Ongoing optimisation | Included | Not included | Not included |
| Reporting cadence | Monthly | At milestones | One-off |
| Best fit when | |||
| You need a marketing function, not a project | Included | Not included | Not included |
| You have one clearly defined problem | Not included | Included | Not included |
| You mainly need a second opinion | Not included | Not included | Included |
| Enquire | Enquire | Enquire | |
Retainer
Ongoing partnership
Shape of the engagement
- Commitment
- Rolling monthly
- Dedicated ongoing capacity
- Included
- Fixed, named deliverables
- Not included
- Written summary and action plan
- Included
What it covers
- Strategy and roadmap
- Included
- Hands-on implementation
- Included
- Campaign management
- Included
- Ongoing optimisation
- Included
- Reporting cadence
- Monthly
Best fit when
- You need a marketing function, not a project
- Included
- You have one clearly defined problem
- Not included
- You mainly need a second opinion
- Not included
Project
Defined start and end
Shape of the engagement
- Commitment
- Length of scope
- Dedicated ongoing capacity
- Not included
- Fixed, named deliverables
- Included
- Written summary and action plan
- Included
What it covers
- Strategy and roadmap
- Included
- Hands-on implementation
- Included
- Campaign management
- If in scope
- Ongoing optimisation
- Not included
- Reporting cadence
- At milestones
Best fit when
- You need a marketing function, not a project
- Not included
- You have one clearly defined problem
- Included
- You mainly need a second opinion
- Not included
Consultation
Single session
Shape of the engagement
- Commitment
- None
- Dedicated ongoing capacity
- Not included
- Fixed, named deliverables
- Included
- Written summary and action plan
- Included
What it covers
- Strategy and roadmap
- Included
- Hands-on implementation
- Not included
- Campaign management
- Not included
- Ongoing optimisation
- Not included
- Reporting cadence
- One-off
Best fit when
- You need a marketing function, not a project
- Not included
- You have one clearly defined problem
- Not included
- You mainly need a second opinion
- Included
What Determines Your Quote
Four things shape the number, before anyone gives you one.
Scope and number of services combined
A single-service engagement (e.g. SEO alone) prices differently than a combined strategy-plus-execution build across multiple services.
Team size and existing systems
Building from scratch costs differently than optimising an existing stack — the audit at kickoff determines which situation you're in.
Retainer hours and cadence
One day a week vs. three days a week is the single biggest lever on a Retainer's monthly cost — matched to how much ongoing support your team actually needs.
Market and competitive complexity
A crowded, highly regulated, or multi-region market takes more research and more careful execution than a single-market, low-complexity one.
Frequently Asked Questions
Pricing questions, answered honestly.
Why doesn't RD publish fixed prices?
Because scope varies too much for a fixed menu to be honest. A Retainer covering one day a week of SEO support and a Retainer covering three days a week of combined strategy, automation, and campaign management aren't the same product, and pricing them identically would either overcharge the smaller scope or undercharge the larger one. Every engagement gets a quote scoped to what you actually need.
How much does a Retainer typically cost?
As a general benchmark, fractional engagements typically run 20–40% of the cost of an equivalent full-time senior marketing hire, billed monthly for one to three days a week of dedicated time. The exact figure depends on scope, hours, and which services are combined — confirmed in your quote, not before it.
Is a Project cheaper than a Retainer?
Not necessarily — they answer different questions. A Project is priced against a fixed, named set of deliverables with a start and end date. A Retainer is priced against ongoing monthly capacity. A large one-off Project (a full SEO overhaul, say) can cost more than a light-touch monthly Retainer, or less than a heavy one — it depends on scope, not on which model you pick.
Can I combine multiple services in one engagement?
Yes — most engagements are hybrid rather than single-service. Strategy paired with execution, or automation paired with campaign management, are common combinations. The quote reflects the combined scope, not each service priced separately and added up.
What happens after a Consultation — am I committed to more?
No. A Consultation is a standalone engagement with no follow-on commitment. You leave with a written summary and a prioritised action plan you can implement yourself, with your own team, or come back to discuss a Project or Retainer if that makes sense afterward.
How do I actually get a quote?
Reach out through the contact section with what you're trying to achieve, or take the 60-second automation diagnostic first if you're not yet sure which service fits — either way, the next step is a conversation to scope the work before any number gets attached to it.
Ready to talk numbers?
Tell us what you're trying to do and which model sounds closest to how you want to work — we'll come back with a scoped quote, not a generic price list.